color-me-unique

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Aquarium Rising | Riana

Tiana hadn’t been in the pet store since… well, never, really. She had never had any kind of pet before. In fact, Tiana didn’t remember ever wanting a pet to begin with except for some envy on show-and-tell day. Because of course the kids with the cutest pets got the most oohs and ahs, and Tiana had always been a little competitive. Except when it came to that kid who brought his pet bullfrog in. Yuck.

So following Reed into the shop, Tiana was momentarily distracted by the sound of the puppies barking and flutter of wings from the birds. Of course, once he grabbed her hand and showed her the fish section, Tiana remembered. Fish were the only pets she was mostly confident about her ability to take care of, anyway. She definitely didn’t have time for a dog or a cat. And birds made too much noise.

She glanced at Reed’s notebook and then squinted at the tank, watching the bright colors swirl by. “That’s really nice,” Tiana said absently, still focused on the fish. “This is, like, hypnotizing. We should definitely get these. I could look at this all day. Which ones did you say go well with these?”

Reed was also leaned forward and focused on the fish. They really were so pretty and soothing to watch. It was exciting to think he was going to have some of these in his very own tank in his new apartment to enjoy with his new roommate. 

The adult life had always felt very intimidating to Reed. He never really thought he would have what it took to accomplish even the small tasks that come with being on your own, but here he was doing it. He was working a job and paying bills. He was paying rent and living without his mum and he was in a pet store about to buy his very own fish. 

Reed glowed with pride and when Tiana asked him which fish they were getting again, he smiled even brighter. He was good at this. There were lots of things he wasn’t so good at, but right now he got to shine. 

Angelfish, he wrote. We need to pick out a couple of those and then there are some little fish that kind of look like catfish. We have to get some of those too they kind of float along the bottom of the tank. 

Reed led her over to the angelfish tank and peered inside. There were so many colors all with their gracefully pointed fins, and Reed wished he could have them all. Which color do you want?

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Aquarium Rising | Riana

color-me-unique​:

FISH!

That was Reed’s brain the whole day. He was so excited it was hard to think about literally anything else. He spent most of his time on fish blogs, making sure he knew all the little things that went into taking care of a fish. He did, but he was glad he checked because he wanted to make sure no fish would be mistreated in this apartment. 

The hardest part of the whole day was waiting for Tiana to get home. Reed knew Tiana was just as excited as he was, which fed into his own excitement even more, so when she walked in the door and rushed to get ready, Reed was practically bouncing in his seat. 

Reed nodded excitedly and handed her a sheet of paper. Hi! So I was thinking about it and how do you feel about an Angelfish being the centerpiece of our tank? They do really well with rasboras and tetras so I think it would be pretty neat. We can only get one though because if we get more than one they fight each other. There are also Corydoras which are like a little catfish and they hang out at the bottom. 

Reed pulled his shoes on and opened the door for Tiana while she read. 

As much as Tiana thought she knew about fish from her little internet deep-dive, she didn’t recognize a lot of the names on the paper. She was pretty sure she knew what an angelfish was– they were strange-looking but striking. Really, though, Tiana trusted Reed’s judgment. For once, she was the amateur, not the expert.

She followed Reed out the door, reading what Reed and written and humming in agreement. “Yeah, this all looks great!” she grinned. “I don’t want any of the fish fighting each other. Since this is all about the relaxed vibe. But I trust your expertise. I don’t really know what all of these fish are, to be honest, but I’m sure they’re beautiful.”

That was the thing Tiana liked about Reed. He didn’t come off as judgemental, so Tiana didn’t feel like she had to always act like she knew what she was talking about. It was refreshing compared to her usual experiences with people, whom she always felt she had to prove herself to.

Tiana was so nice. 

Right after Reed handed her the paper, he kind of wanted to snatch it back. He’d been so excited while writing it, that he hadn’t thought about whether he was coming off too strong. He did that sometimes, he knew. He’d had friends tell him to tone things down a bit. His mother liked to tell him that as well. His father usually let him say whatever he wanted and even seemed interested. A sharp pang of missing hit Reed in the heart and he shoved it away. 

He didn’t need to be sad right now. He was happy and going to the pet store with his new roommate! Reed walked the rest of the way, looking at the fluffy clouds in the sky and the funny little dragonflies that liked to zip around in the air. It was a beautiful day. He kind of wanted to sit down and draw it--his baby blue day. 

Before he knew it, they were at the pet store and Reed grabbed Tiana’s hand and led her to the various tanks in the back, beaming. He pointed at a tank that had teeny little swimming rainbows in it and then let go of her hand to scribble in his notepad. 

Tetras, he wrote. Did you know they are so bright because they usually live in murky water and the bright colours help them find each other? 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Aquarium Rising | Riana

Tiana had initially agreed to putting a fish tank in the apartment because it seemed like something Reed cared about and it wasn’t any trouble for her, but over the past week, she had actually found herself really looking forward to the day they had scheduled to go to the pet shop in NTO and pick out some fish and a tank. Reed was the one who knew much more about this than she did, but Tiana had found herself scrolling through advice threads on Twitter about fish and watching vlogs about fish. It was a strange and exciting corner of the internet that Tiana was beginning to think she was spending too much time on when she should be focusing on things happening with the restaurant.

But even the restaurant, her dream, was beginning to turn stressful. Cooking, which had always been Tiana’s stress relief, in some ways had become her source of stress. And that wasn’t a reason to give up, of course, but sometimes, a distraction was welcome. 

She rushed home from work and took a quick shower, then threw on some shorts and a t-shirt. “Reed! You ready?” she called, putting her shoes on. 

@color-me-unique​

FISH!

That was Reed’s brain the whole day. He was so excited it was hard to think about literally anything else. He spent most of his time on fish blogs, making sure he knew all the little things that went into taking care of a fish. He did, but he was glad he checked because he wanted to make sure no fish would be mistreated in this apartment. 

The hardest part of the whole day was waiting for Tiana to get home. Reed knew Tiana was just as excited as he was, which fed into his own excitement even more, so when she walked in the door and rushed to get ready, Reed was practically bouncing in his seat. 

Reed nodded excitedly and handed her a sheet of paper. Hi! So I was thinking about it and how do you feel about an Angelfish being the centerpiece of our tank? They do really well with rasboras and tetras so I think it would be pretty neat. We can only get one though because if we get more than one they fight each other. There are also Corydoras which are like a little catfish and they hang out at the bottom. 

Reed pulled his shoes on and opened the door for Tiana while she read. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana.

Tiana wished she could promise that she wouldn’t get offended if Reed didn’t like her food, but… well, she didn’t have a great track record with that. As much as she knew the potential for hurt feelings, food was personal for Tiana, and she couldn’t separate her favorite dishes to make from her identity and her values. Even if people had personal tastes… well, her attempt at converting Marzel to a Southern cooking fan proved that Tiana didn’t have much regard for that. 

But Reed really did seem like he wanted to try something new. Maybe if he didn’t like beignets Tiana could find a way to get past it… eventually.

“Oh, stop it, I’m the one who should thank you,” Tiana tutted. Reading that did warm her heart, though, even if she didn’t think she had done anything particularly exceptional. She had gotten a good feeling from meeting Reed. And if she hadn’t, she wouldn’t have moved in with him. Tiana trusted her gut. “I didn’t realize how nice it is to have a roommate again, you know? This flat can feel awfully empty sometimes.”

Reed couldn’t exactly agree with Tiana, because he’d never had a roommate before, but he did know that it felt really good to have one now. There was this warmth in his chest, growing out from the very center and making him feel safe. He knew what it was. It was the feeling of being home. Tiana was so sweet and welcoming, that he was already having this feeling and he’d only been here for about an hour. 

Reed nodded to Tiana and looked down at his notebook again. This was new for him. He didn’t usually...it usually took him a little longer to warm up to people. He knew it was because he was in an odd situation. He knew it was because he moved out of his parent’s house and now he had to make a new home, but he was happy he’d found Tiana. 

He felt like they were already becoming friends. 

It’s not empty anymore, Reed wrote. I���m going to try my best to be a good roommate, Tiana. I’m sort of learning it all brand new right now, but I’ll get there. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana.

Tiana lit up at the mention of cooking. She had truthfully been really enjoying the fish conversation, even if Tiana really hadn’t thought about fish all that much before except for, well, in a culinary context… yeah, she would try not to mention that part. There were many delicious things you could do with fish, but that would definitely be a hard left turn to take the conversation.

So instead, she just said what she usually said when people asked her why she liked to cook so much.

“I like to cook the kind of food I grew up on– my parents moved from the U.S., so my dad used to teach me how to make all the best dishes that we couldn’t get here in the U.K. Southern food, like gumbo, shrimp and grits, beignets, all the best stuff,” Tiana gushed. Really, talking about this never got old. “And I guess all my favorite memories have food tied to them. So when I’m cooking, sorry to be cliché, but it’s kind of my happy place. That’s why I said I’m always willing to cook for the both of us. It’s really what I like to do, you know?”

Reed had never really been that adventurous when it came to food. He mostly just stuck with what he knew best--some Korean dishes and all the regular old British stuff--but the way Tiana talked about the food she made had Reed really wanting to try it. He realized he was going to be eagerly awaiting the first time Tiana cooked for them. 

Wow, I’ve never had any of those things, he wrote. My family isn’t really very adventurous about food. We kind of stick to the same things and then when I’m by myself I’m usually too nervous to try stuff when I don’t know if I’ll like it. Especially at a restaurant. I don’t want to offend anyone by not eating the food they make, you know?

Reed thought about it for a moment and then kept writing. I really am looking forward to tasting the food you make, Tiana. And maybe even helping you make it some day. Thank you for giving me a chance as your roommate too. You’re a really nice person. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana.

Tiana knew the feeling. If someone got her started about Southern cuisine’s place in the culinary world, or Leah Chase’s impact on… just about anything, she could go on and on. And it was nice to find someone who appreciated your niche interests, even if they didn’t necessarily have the same intense passion. Tiana did that all the time, listening to her regulars chatter about things like the stock market and the weather and, occasionally, something a little more unusual like the ethical implications of magical farming techniques. She liked seeing what people were interested in.

And the thought of having a pet was kind of exciting. Tiana had never had one growing up, and it wasn’t practical when she was in culinary school. She was beginning to think she was entering a new stage in her life. Why not try something new?

She smiled. “Well, it sounds like you probably know more about this than I do, so I’ll let you take the lead. But I can send you my work schedule so we can find a time to both go to the pet store. I think that would be fun,” Tiana suggested. Her mom was going to have a field day with this one, she thought. Tiana setting aside time to go to the pet store to pick out fish? It was the kind of thing she would never have done if someone hadn’t suggested it to her.

But Tiana also knew she had a horrible track record for keeping appointments. Reed looked so excited about this. Tiana made a mental note that she had to try not to cancel this time.

It was a date! They were going to go pick out a fish as soon as Tiana had time. Reed could tell already she was a very busy lady. He’d met her for the first time to talk about this whole thing when she was at work for goodness sake. Something in Reed’s chest swelled up as he thought about this--Tiana setting aside time for him for something like this. They were definitely going to be friends. 

It would be really fun! He wrote. I can maybe even write out some fish facts beforehand about the common household fishes so we can be more prepared and really choose the right ones that are good for us. 

Then it occurred to him that she was showing a lot of interest in his interests and he wanted to give that interest back. 

I know we also talked about learning to cook and how it’s a little intimidating for me but I just wanted to ask what your favorite kind of food to cook is? Because I want to learn more about it. I think it would be fun to learn about food. I never really gave it a lot of thought before. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana

It was really strange to do this, Tiana thought, to sit down together and work out what kind of roommates they were going to be to each other. It had been a while since Tiana had lived with anyone, and even then, they barely saw each other, mainly communicating through passive-aggressive texts and notes. And to be fair, Tiana had been part of the problem– leaving things lying around in the rush to get out the door, trying out new recipes late at night when she couldn’t sleep. But things would be different this time. Tiana was determined.

She nodded at Reed’s question. “Yeah, of course,” she replied, kind of surprised that she was the one giving permission here. But Tiana appreciated that Reed had asked. “I don’t know if I’d necessarily have time to help take care of it, but I could help out now and then. And I don’t think the building has anything against fish– I mean, how can they, if they’re allowing pigs, right?” She laughed. “I think it’d be soothing too, though. God knows we all need something calming around here, right?”

It was this, more than anything else so far, that filled Reed’s heart with a warm affection for his new roommate. When he’d asked, he’d meant for the aquarium to be in his room. He’d wanted to make it as little of an imposition as possible--something Tiana could ignore if she wanted to--but now he had a better idea. Because he agreed with her. Fish really were so soothing to be around and everyone really did need something to help calm them at the end of the day. 

Reed took out another sheet of paper and smiled at Tiana before starting to write furiously. 

When I asked, I was thinking I could keep it in my room because I didn’t know how you would feel about fish, but if you really do like the idea and you think it’s soothing (like I do!!) maybe we could put it somewhere else?  Like in the main room or even the little dining room area? I’m not sure where the best place would be, but I think I would trust you to help take care of the fish and maybe they could be our fish instead of just my fish. I have never shared a fish with anyone before. 

I can do most of the care and stuff, since I really like doing it anyway, and I can put up a little chart that way if you feed them you can mark it so I don’t overfeed them. I have a little whiteboard thing. Unless that’s too complicated.  

Oh! And maybe we can even pick the fish out together! I know a lot about fish so we won’t need to worry about putting things together that wouldn’t be a good fit. I wouldn’t let that happen. 

Reed realized he’d almost taken up the whole sheet of paper and he blushed, handing it over to Tiana. It was just that he felt like he had a friend and that friend was being so kind when he’d been so nervous. It was like a breath of fresh air.

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana

Tiana laughed and shook her head. She had never had a problem with her upstairs neighbors, and although others on the second floor were occasionally loud. they were never really loud enough to bother Tiana. “No cloggers,” Tiana confirmed, in case that was something Reed was concerned about. The only problems Tiana had ever had living in Benbow were her former roommates. Definitely not something she needed to worry about now.

She leaned forward conspiratorially. “There are a few characters, though. The other day, I was leaving the building and I ran into a guy, probably around your age, and he had a pet pig with him. Can you believe that? People really have the strangest pets.” 

All in all, Benbow wasn’t a bad place to live, even if the kitchen was smaller than Tiana would like and the utilities could occasionally be unreliable. Rent was low enough that Tiana could put a lot of her earnings into her savings every month. And at least it was never boring– you could truly meet all kinds of unusual people just walking down the hallway. “I don’t think you should be too worried, though. Everyone I’ve met here I’ve pretty much gotten on with. Although I’m giving a cooking lesson to our downstairs neighbor soon and I’m a bit worried the place might burn down. So I’ll give you a heads-up on that.”

Reed thought a pet pig sounded amazing. He’d always wanted a furry pet and he’d never been able to have one. Maybe now that he’d moved out he’d be able to. He was for sure going to head to the pet store one day this week and get some fish. Wait! He hadn’t asked Tiana about that. 

Reed smiled and waved off her concern of a fire. He had the utmost faith in her to make sure their apartment didn’t catch on fire. Plus, if she was giving cooking lessons to people, maybe he’d be able to sit in. He wrote that thought down first, asking if it would be possible for him to learn too, then he started writing the real question. 

I never asked before and I suppose I should, but I really like fish. 

That was a weird way to put that, but there was no going back now. Reed kept writing. 

I like fish and I was wondering if I was allowed to have an aquarium in here. It’s alright if I can’t. I would totally understand. There is just something very soothing about a fish tank and there are truly so many interesting types of fish! I’d probably get a medium-sized tank so I couldn’t fill it with all the cool fish, but I’d have enough. But yeah. Only if that’s allowed. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana

Tiana scanned over what Reed had written and nodded. “Yeah, my mother also wants me to be friends with my roommates. She’s right, it is nice– back in uni I had a great roommate and it was the best thing. But I think we’re friends, right?” 

She still couldn’t say she knew Reed all that well, but Tiana trusted her instincts. Some people would say that attitude was judgmental, but Tiana believed that she had always– well, almost always– been right about whether or not she would like someone down the line. Anyway, Tiana was pretty sure she was right about Reed. He was a nice kid.

Watching him open the bags, she could see how organized everything was. Much more organized than Tiana was, even if she mostly tried to keep her things in order. So she waited for Reed to give her the go-ahead before she started unpacking things. Tiana didn’t want to mess up that system.

“Will do,” she replied, and started taking out the clothes, careful to make sure they stayed neatly folded. “So is there anything you want to know about Benbow? Places to eat nearby, I can give you the rundown on the neighbors, or if you like to run or hike there are a few trails around here.”

Reed was so excited because the longer he was in this room and the more Tiana talked to him, the more it started to feel like home. He was settling into his surroundings, recognizing them and claiming them as his through the surreal haze of what he was doing. He’d dreamed of moving out for so long, that he had to remind himself that’s what he was doing as he put his pencils in the desk drawer next to where he’d already placed his markers. A different order for a different desk. It felt right. 

Reed looked back at Tiana and smiled again because..well, she was being so nice. Reed knew in theory he could seem like a good roommate, but he had been a little bit worried about her seeing his bags and maybe freaking out. He was very organized. He liked being organized and his mum had told him that perhaps that would be a deterrent to getting a roommate. She’d called him neurotic, which she’d said off-hand and not thought twice about it, but it was kind of hurtful because it might be true. She was always saying things like that and telling him he needed to work on parts of himself that he didn’t want to work on--the parts that made him who he was. And she’d never, in 18 whole years, had ever stopped trying to get him to talk. 

But he wasn’t going to think about that now. He was going to talk to his new friend. Oooo, do we have any interesting neighbors? he wrote. I’ve heard some pretty crazy stories about neighbors. I know someone who has an upstairs neighbor who clog dances which I think is kind of funny, but I know it would be annoying.

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana

Tiana laughed. She wasn’t sure she would call this place amazing, but it served its purpose. Tiana’s mother had been the one to suggest she get her own place when she came back from culinary school, and while Tiana’s previously rotating cast of roommates often made her want to just finish out the lease and move back in with her mother, it was nice in a way to have a place of her own.

She remembered when she had been Reed’s age, moving into her own place for the first time. Tiana had finally felt like an adult for the first time. Hopefully she would be a better roommate than her own first roommate. Reed was such a nice kid and he deserved that.

“No, you’re good,” she assured him, putting the bags she was carrying down in the empty bedroom. “It’s not much, but it’s a good first place. I don’t have to go into work until the afternoon, so I can help you unpack if you need.”

Reed held up his hand and shook his head, still grinning, and then started to write. 

You don’t have to do that. I’m sure you have a lot of stuff you need to do that’s more important. If you want to, though, that’s okay. My mother was telling me that it’s very nice to be friends with your roommates. I think she was probably saying it because she wanted me to wait until I was friends with someone before I moved in, but I think it can work the other way too. I think I could move in and then become friends, don’t you? 

Reed handed Tiana the paper and then started to open up some of his bags. The first one he opened was the one with all of his art supplies. He looked around and spotted a desk which made him smile. He was definitely going to be using that a lot and he was glad to have it. The drawers were big enough to fit all his trays and things which meant he could keep all his colors in order and everything would be organized. Today was a good day!

He realized then he hadn’t really said Tiana could touch his stuff and he turned back to her, scribbling something else. 

If you really do want to help you can take my clothes out of the bag and put them on the bed. They are already folded and stuff so you don’t have to do that part. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana​:

Taking the Leap | Riana

Tiana had also been up early– not 4 AM early, more like breakfast-shift early– cleaning and moving everything out of the other bedroom that she had been using for storage after her previous roommate moved out. Between the play and work, Tiana hadn’t had time to do it until the last minute, but she’d wanted to get off to a good start with Reed. He seemed like a nice kid and Tiana really did need a roommate. The rent wasn’t as high in Benbow as it was in some places, but Tiana still didn’t want to pay it alone.

Luckily, she had just finished up when she heard the knock at the door. “Just a minute!” Tiana yelled from the bedroom, which probably was not loud enough to be heard outside of the apartment. She tossed the rag that she had been dusting with in the laundry basket and went to the door.

“Reed! Come in,” Tiana smiled, pulling the door open. “You need help with those bags? Your key’s on the hook, by the way. Green key chain.” Tiana gestured to a hook on the wall by the door that she used to hang keys. “Follow me, your room’s down that hall. Here, let me grab one of the bags.” 

As soon as Tiana opened the door Reed’s muscles tensed one last time in a show of stress and then relaxed slowly. He saw her smiling face and remembered how nice she’d been to him at the restaurant and found himself wondering why he’d even been nervous at all. Until she gestured toward his very own key and then his nerves returned, but in a softer, more excited way. 

This was his new apartment. He lived here! Reed let Tiana take one of his bags and lead him through the place and his eyes drank it all in. There was a couch right there in the living room that was partly his living room now! He probably wouldn’t spend that much time out here, mostly because he would have to talk to her about it first. He didn’t want to just assume he was allowed to sit on her couch, but still! 

There was the kitchen. Reed smiled bright thinking about how she’d offered to teach him some cooking basics one day. He could just see himself standing in that kitchen wearing an apron and trying to make pancakes or something. He’d be terrible at it, but maybe he would get better. 

The thing Reed was most excited for, however, was Tiana herself. He knew that not all roommates were friends, but he also knew that he would like to be friends with her. She had been nothing but nice to him when they’d met and she’d let him move into her apartment. That meant they were off to a pretty good start, right? 

Tiana led him down the hall and walked into a door on the left. Reed followed her in and his eyes went wide. Until now, he hadn’t really thought about how he was going to have his very own space for the first time in his life. The rest of the apartment was a little bit his, but this place? No one else could make any rules in this one room. This one room was for Reed and people would have to knock when the door was closed  and when he was gone they wouldn’t go in--even to clean like his mum did--and looking at it kind of made Reed want to tear up. He plopped his bags down on the ground and looked over at Tiana, his smile wide. He pulled out his notebook and grinned as he wrote. 

I love it so much! This place is amazing! Thank you! I hope I didn’t come at a bad time.

[color-me-unique]

Taking the Leap | Riana

@almosttiana​

Reed stood in front of his new apartment building, bags in hand, and wondered if he was going to actually throw up. It wouldn’t surprise him, considering how he’d hardly slept the night before, his limbs buzzing with excitement, and how his stomach had been twisting all morning. It was a good sort of twist--a nervousness that came before big changes and good things. 

He’d gotten out of bed around 4am to finish all his packing, figuring it was useless to stay in bed. His father had come in and talked to him at some point, but Reed had mostly tuned it out. It was a bunch of things about him not needing to move too fast and how he always had a place here, and those things were nice to hear, but Reed knew they were fake, plastic words that meant nothing because there wouldn’t be a place to come back to. He wasn’t stupid. His parents were going to divorce and he didn’t want to be in this house when the final fight happened. 

His mother had just left. Reed told her yesterday that he’d wanted to do this on his own and that he’d invite her over at some point, but that point wasn’t today. She’d been a little sad, but he thought maybe she understood where he was coming from. He’d been trying for months to do this and now that it was here, he didn’t want her to have to hold his hand. 

Reed hoisted his bags up some stairs until he was right in front of apartment 2B. The alphanumeric marker stared into his soul and he realized this was who he was now. He was a resident of 2B at the Benbow apartments and something about that made him glow from the inside out, his smile bright and warm. 

Before he could chicken out, Reed reached up and knocked on the (his) door. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana‌:

Reading the papers, Tiana could tell that she and Reed were very different people. almost opposites, in fact. She didn’t know much about art or painting and barely had enough time for herself, let alone for volunteering. (The play was an exception– sometimes Tiana could be convinced. Especially if her mother was doing the convincing). Still, they were different in a good way, and Tiana figured that as long as Reed didn’t mind her coming home at odd hours and playing her music in the kitchen while she cooked, they would get along just fine.

“I’m happy you replied to my ad. I was really starting to worry I wouldn’t find a flatmate, but I think this will work out,” Tiana said optimistically. “That all sounds great, and, like I said, I’m happy to cook for the both of us. As long as you don’t mind jazz and funk music on while I’m cooking– that was another thing my previous flatmate and I couldn’t agree on. I promise I’m really not all that loud. And if you ever need help with anything in the kitchen, I can show you that it’s not a scary place.”

She smiled. Anyone could learn the basics of cooking, Tiana believed, and all you needed was a little perseverance and maybe some good instincts. She liked the idea of demystifying the kitchen for someone.

For one of the first times in his whole life, Reed felt like an adult. He felt like he could do anything if he put his mind to it which was so empowering that he couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear. He’d done this. He’d seen the ad. He answered the ad. Now he was sitting here in a diner with an actual adult and talking about adult decisions and he wasn’t scared. He was happy. 

I think that sounds really nice, Reed wrote. I’ve always sort of wanted to learn my way around a kitchen, but I’ve been too afraid to do it. My mother never really made me learn either. She always cooked for us and she wouldn’t let me help her. She would say I had other things to do or I was probably too tired or something and I never really knew how to argue. 

Reed slid the paper over and his cheeks heated before he started writing on a new page. 

Anyway, as soon as you decide on everything you can just text me? I have some money saved up if you need any sort of move in fee. 

Interview over Milkshakes | Riana

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana‌:.

Tiana smiled as she read Reed’s notebook. She wasn’t sure exactly what she was expecting, but this kid was very sweet. And his assessment surprised her– Tiana felt stressed, worried, and overwhelmed most of the time, and wouldn’t exactly describe herself as calm. But she did try to give off energy that made other people feel comfortable. That was important to Tiana.

And she did like the color yellow. 

“It’s okay. That’s really kind of you,” Tiana said, pushing her notepad to the side. It was a relief not to have to worry that her pad was unreadable. “I did make the milkshakes, but it’s not my recipe. The head chef here is really talented,” Tiana explained. She wished it were her recipe being served at the restaurant, but it was only fair that she gave Kronk credit. “So, tell me about yourself.”

Tiana smiled and Reed settled into his decision that she seemed very yellow. She had a calming, happy presence and it would be something very easy to live with. He was excited about that because he’d been just a bit nervous. He tended to pick up on the way people felt fairly easily and it affected his mood sometimes. Tiana had a great energy. 

Reed put his pencil to paper again and started talking. 

I’m an art student at university. I don’t take very many classes at a time because I get overwhelmed with a full course-load, but I also volunteer at Town Hall when they do painting nights and things. I like to walk around and help people because I think art is very important. It’s a really good way to express yourself. 

Reed stopped and laughed a bit at himself. 

I’m sure you want to know what type of house mate I’d be and I have to say I’m a pretty quiet one. I also like to keep things clean so you won’t have to worry about me leaving a huge mess. My biggest weakness, like I already said, is that I can’t cook really. The kitchen sort of intimidates me. Reed stopped and scooted the paper forward. Tiana started to read it and he quickly scribbled something else on another scrap. I just wanted to say I’m also so happy I saw your ad. I’ve been trying to find a place to move into for about a month and nothing ever looked like it was the right fit until now. 

Interview over Milkshakes | Riana

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana‌:

Tiana surprised herself by being on time. Normally she ran into a meeting a few minutes late, having gotten tied up with one thing or another at the end of her shift. Today, though, she did make an effort to clock out on time and make a milkshake for Reed– Tiana, on the other hand, was drinking coffee, as she usually did after a 7 AM to 2PM shift. But maybe she’d treat herself with a milkshake in a bit, once she stopped yawning. 

She had tried to come prepared by bringing her pen and the check pad she used to take orders. Hopefully that would be legible. Reed seemed like a nice kid, and even though his emails had given Tiana that impression from the start, she was relieved. No problem. It’s nice to meet you! How are you doing? Tiana wrote, handing Reed his milkshake.

Wow, she was writing back to him! She even brought a little notebook and that was so nice of her that Reed suddenly felt really emotional. He didn’t need her to do that, but the fact that she did was very, very nice. It meant she cared, which not everyone did. He took a drink of his milkshake and grinned. It was so good! Chocolate with a hint of something else he couldn’t quite place. Maybe banana?

Reed leaned over his paper and started writing again. 

This milkshake is really good! Did you make it? You’re probably one of the best milkshake makers if you did! 

Also, he wrote, I can hear you when you talk if you don’t want to write on the paper. I think it’s really nice that you did though. Sometimes when people just start talking a lot and really loud I get kind of overwhelmed so it’s nice when people write at first. Not very many people do. You seem like you are a calm person, and your voice is probably soft...kind of yellow, if that makes sense. Probably not. I think about things in colors a lot. It helps me process. 

I think I meant to be telling you I can hear, I just don’t talk. I went off on a little tangent. I’m sorry. 

Interview over Milkshakes | Riana

[color-me-unique]

Interview over Milkshakes | Riana

@almosttiana​

Reed was very, very nervous. 

He was so nervous, actually, that he didn’t even tell his mum what he was leaving the house to do. The idea of going to meet Tiana and her deciding she maybe didn’t need him as a roommate after all, and then having to tell his mum that not only was he trying to move out, but he’d failed? Terrible. He wouldn’t be able to survive. 

Besides, she was too busy arguing with his father about something stupid when he left to even notice him. That stung a little, but today was a brand new day and Reed was trying to take the next step in his life. 

When he finally arrived at the restaurant, he stopped just outside the door and took a deep, steadying breath. He could do this. All he had to do was open the door and look around until he saw Tiana. That wasn’t so hard, was it? 

Reed opened the door and walked in, his eyes scanning the booths until he saw her. His heart gave a twirl in his chest and he reached for his notebook. It was probably best to prepare something before he went over and sat down. 

A minute later, Reed was walking up to the booth and holding out a piece of paper and smiling. 

Hi, Tiana. Thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I’m really nervous so I’m sorry if I seem kind of weird. 

[color-me-unique]

almosttiana‌:

To: rfischy@gmail.com

From: ttruit95@gmail.com

Subject: Roommate Ad

Hi Reed,

Thanks for the heads up, but that’s really not a problem. I don’t know sign language (wish I did!) but I’m happy to communicate through writing. 

I look forward to meeting you too! Would you like to meet at Chippamunka’s for a coffee? I work there most mornings, so I’m usually free in the early afternoon. Let me know what works for you.

Best,

T

To: ttruit95@gmail.com

From: rfischy@gmail.com

Subject: Roommate Ad

Tiana, 

Chippamunka’s sounds great! I’m actually free most of this week. How does Wednesday sound? I can show up around 2? 

Reed

Ad: Looking for roommate (Tiana + Reed)